Shenzhen Bulldog Dragons: The Finest Rugby & Social Club in Southern China

With the Rugby World Cup in Japan just around the corner in September, now seemed like the perfect time to highlight the Shenzhen Dragons, our city’s long-running rugby club and one of its best sports clubs in general. Shenzhen Party spoke with the Bulldog Dragons to learn more about the club’s long history, rich culture, passionate players, and how you can get involved too.

Formed in 2008, the Bulldog Dragons have been a mainstay of the rugby circuit in South China and beyond ever since. The club has both a Men’s and Women’s team, who train regularly, play full contact matches, and compete in the best tournaments in the region and beyond.

The season all kicks off on September 7th with the Guangdong 10s tournament. Organized by the Dragons and the other teams in the region, this year’s event will take place in Bao’an. The tournament promises to be a cracker with teams coming from Hong Kong, Macau and all over Mainland China.

After the Guangdong 10s, a 15s championship begins which will see the Dragons go head-to-head with teams from Xiamen, Fuzhou. The championship also features local rivals, the Guangzhou Rams, and there are guaranteed to be some classic derbies again this year.

The second half of the season is arguably even more exciting than the first, as the Bulldog Dragons pack up their suitcases for tournaments in Macao, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Xiamen, and Phuket. Some of these weekends are legendary in rugby circles and every year some truly unforgettable memories are created. After all, it wouldn’t be a rugby club without a few rugby tours.

Club Spirit

Rugby is as much about the culture as it is about the sport, and it’s this ethos that forms the backbone of so many rugby clubs around the world. It is just as important to the Bulldog Dragons and they do their best to foster the social aspect of it with both playing and non-playing members through dinners and drinks socials, as well as group gym sessions and even martial art classes.

As a result, the club is made up of friends who love playing rugby together, have fun competing in tournaments, and enjoy having a drink or two socially. This friendly and lively bunch are always open to welcoming all newcomers, regardless of age, ability, experience, or background.

Club Structure

The Bulldog Dragons is an amateur club that operates on the grassroots level. All the support services and logistics are provided by the club members themselves.

The club has a standing committee that is drawn from and voted for by the club’s members at the start of each season.

The support we have seen from local sponsors, private donors, and volunteers, along with the dedicated work of club members has been nothing short of phenomenal. Without these people, the Dragons would not have been able to grow and become the stronghold of the Chinese rugby community it is today.

Training

The Bulldog Dragons Men’s and Women’s teams train together twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 20:30 to 22:30 at Qiaocheng North Station on Line 2. We mix up our training sessions by working on various aspects of rugby with touch sessions and technical drills. All training sessions are RMB 50 per person and it is free for first-timers.